


Mistletoe

by kythen



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Christmas Fluff, Confessions, Crushes, First Dates, Fluff, Getting Together, Love Potion/Spell, M/M, Mistletoe, Mythical Beings & Creatures, it's a christmas romcom, tengu!daichi, vampire!Kuroo, witch!suga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 22:24:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17170559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kythen/pseuds/kythen
Summary: Daichi loves Christmas, but he thinks that the tradition of kissing under mistletoe is ridiculous. Thankfully (or not), his witchy best friend, a love spell, and the vampire Daichi might have a tiny bit of a crush on are here to prove him wrong.





	Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BGee93](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BGee93/gifts).



> Merry Christmas, Bee!!! It’s me, your Secret Santa! :D
> 
> I hope you enjoy this Christmas romcom based off the coffee shop and supernatural prompts in your wishlist!
> 
> Happy holidays! I hope you have a great year filled with kurodai ahead of you!

Daichi sneezes explosively as a cloud of dust emerges from the cardboard box along with the snaking streamers of tinsel he pulls out from it. It is already well into December and Daichi already had all the appropriate Christmas decorations up in the cafe the moment Halloween had ended. But he loves Christmas, having been born so close to the festive holiday, and he can't help but keep adding to the decorations already strewn out around the cafe, introducing new Christmas items into the menu, and humming Christmas songs as he works.

He had been cleaning out the storeroom yesterday and he had stumbled upon some long-forgotten boxes of Christmas decorations he could probably use in the cafe. His employees had groaned the moment Daichi had brought them out this morning, already eyeing the over-full Christmas tree and windows warily, but that was not going to stop Daichi from finding out what were in the boxes.

The streamers weren't bad, but they didn't match with the classical theme they were going with this year, so Daichi bundles them to one side and starts digging deeper. The tiny trees would be a cute addition to spruce up the counter and the tables. Then there were random assortments of baubles and knickknacks that could be tastefully sprinkled around the cafe if Daichi could find the space for them.

In the second box he opens, he finds sprigs of mistletoe and Christmas wreaths made out of woven wiry branches. He sniffs and sneezes again, admiring the freshly preserved state that they are in. Everything in the box is genuine plant material, cleverly protected by a spell that preserves them in the state they were picked in. Daichi's wings flutter happily behind him as he takes them out of their box, already thinking of where to hang these fine pieces of work.

"Daichi, you aren't adding _more_ Christmas decorations to the shop?" Suga's exasperated voice rings out behind Daichi. "Our walls are about to collapse from over-festiveness."

"It's not every day we get to decorate the shop for Christmas," Daichi says defensively, turning around to face Suga with the preserved sprigs of mistletoe and wreaths bundled up in his arms. "I just want the shop to look nice for the festive season."

"Daichi, if this shop gets any more festive, we're going to end up summoning Santa Claus himself into the premises. And _then_ , you'll probably use him to decorate the shop."

Daichi ignores Suga, because it is _his_ cafe and he can decorate it however he likes and if he says they need more Christmas decorations, then they need more Christmas decorations. Christmas only comes once a year and if Daichi doesn’t make full use of all their packed away Christmas decorations now, he would have to wait an entire year before he can show them off again.

Daichi deposits the little trees on the counter and tables accordingly, adds to the baubles and knickknacks hanging around the cafe, and hangs one of the preserved twig wreaths on the inside of the door, to complement the pine wreath in full bloom hanging on the outside. He flaps his wings, giving him a boost up to the top of the door, and attaches a sprig of mistletoe there as a final touch, shifting it back and forth as he tries to get it to hang down straight.

“Mistletoe?” Suga comments again, obviously not doing his job if he has this much time to comment on Daichi's taste in decorations. “That’s a pretty dangerous thing you’re putting up there.”

Daichi snorts. “It’s just there to look pretty. It isn’t as if people are going to start kissing each other the moment they walk through the door because of it.”

Suga goes silent and that is always dangerous so Daichi drops back to the ground and folds his wide black wings behind him as he eyes Suga suspiciously. Suga has that look in his eyes again, a gleam that Daichi has come to associate with mischief and bad news, and he rues the day that Suga figured out he had witch's blood in his family and the accompanying magic to go with it.

“Maybe... maybe... they should,” Suga says contemplatively, reaching a hand out to the innocent sprig of mistletoe hanging above the front door, a spark filling his grey eyes.

“Suga, _no_.” Daichi steps between Suga and the sprig of mistletoe, blocking Suga's line of sight with his wings. Being between Suga and his victim of choice when he starts magicking things always makes him nervous because the chances of having the spell hit him instead were dangerously high, but he doesn't want to have to deal with unhappy customers giving or receiving unwanted kisses upon entering the cafe.

“It’s tradition." Suga folds his arms, but the light doesn't dissolve from his eyes. "I thought you liked Christmas traditions.”

“I do, but this is a ridiculous tradition. No one is kissing anyone just because of a mere sprig of mistletoe," Daichi says firmly.

“It doesn’t have to be just a mere sprig of mistletoe. It has so much much potential within it. I mean, look at how well it holds that preservation spell. It could probably take another spell.” Suga wiggles his fingers.

"No, you stay away from my mistletoe," Daichi warns him, stretching his wings wide so that Suga has no chance of getting a spell past him.

Bells jingle behind him, signalling that a customer is entering the cafe, and Daichi turns around to look at the door instinctively. Two things happen in the next moment simultaneously:

  1. A thin stream of light zaps the sprig of mistletoe above the door from behind Daichi, which means that Suga _had done it_
  2. Kuroo walks through the door and stops in his tracks, his mouth falling open in confusion as he takes in the sight before him



Daichi whips back around, turning on Suga menacingly. "What did you do to it!?"

Suga raises his hands in surrender, but he looks immensely pleased with himself as his eyes dart between Daichi and Kuroo. "Just a little something. I think you would thank me for it."

Hands touch his wings and Daichi shudders, folding his wings protectively against his back as he turns back to Kuroo. Kuroo is still standing in the doorway, his hands held out where they had been touching Daichi's wings, and Daichi looks warily at him, glancing at his lips and then away with a flush.

Of all the people who had to walk through the door when Suga had put a stupid spell on the mistletoe, it had to be Kuroo. If Daichi didn't know better, he would have thought that Suga had developed clairvoyance in addition to all his witchy magic. Kuroo is a regular customer at their cafe but he never comes in at regular times, dropping by the cafe as and when he pleased. Daichi remembers his orders, remembers how much blood and caffeine and sugar the vampire likes in all of them, and Suga had definitely known something was up when Daichi had concocted a whole new line of blood-infused drinks for their vampiric customers.

So Daichi might have a tiny bit of a crush on Kuroo, but that doesn't mean he wants Kuroo to kiss him because of a spell Suga put on the mistletoe that compels him to. Maybe.

Kuroo blinks and lowers his hands, still looking puzzled as he gazes at Daichi and says, "So, that's a first. I don't think you've ever welcomed me to your cafe by slapping me in the face with your wings, Sawamura. Seasonal greetings?"

Kuroo doesn't look like he is about to move in to kiss him and Daichi is relieved— _not_ disappointed—as he smooths his ruffled feathers down with a hand and apologises, "Sorry, we were having a bit of a disagreement."

Kuroo throws a smirk over Daichi's shoulder at Suga, but his eyes stay on Daichi, as if he is sharing a secret joke with him. "Suga-chan, what did you do?"

"Just making things festive." Suga puts his hands up in false innocence. "Daichi's been putting more Christmas decorations up."

"Even more?" Kuroo raises an eyebrow at Daichi, taking a slow, pointed look around the cafe. "You really like Christmas, don't you, Sawamura?"

"It's _Christmas_ ," Daichi says defensively. "What's there not to like about it? There's snow and food and feasting—"

"Ah, so you like Christmas because of the food?" Kuroo teases him.

"So what if I do?" Daichi crosses his arms in front of him. He likes Christmas for more than the food, but he can't deny that his favourite part of Christmas are the parties and dinners he has with his friends and family.

"There's nothing wrong with that." Kuroo smirks—or maybe smiles, with his pointy fangs showing—at him as he goes past Daichi, heading for the counter. "I just think it's really cute of you."

Daichi's face bursts with heat and he looks wide-eyed at Suga, glancing desperately between Kuroo's retreating back and Suga as he hisses, "Did he just flirt with me?"

"He does that all the time," Suga says nonchalantly and Daichi doesn't believe a word he is saying.

"Remove that spell before someone else walks through the door," Daichi orders him in a whisper, jabbing a finger at the innocuous-looking sprig of mistletoe above the door. He kind of regrets hanging it up now if it was inspiring Suga to get up to all kinds of mischief, but he can't bring himself to take it down. It looks pretty and it decorates the space above the door so nicely.

"Do I have to? Things are working so out so well." Suga sighs reluctantly.

"They are _not_ ," Daichi grits out, trying not to think about Kuroo. He hadn't kissed Daichi like he had expected, but he _knows_ that Suga did something to the mistletoe and whatever he did, Kuroo had been affected by it. "Look, I don't care what you cast on the mistletoe, but you better take it off the next time I come over here or so help me. And take it off Kuroo before he leaves too."

"Booooo, you're no fun." Suga pouts but he turns his attention back on the mistletoe and raises a hand again.

In the meantime, Daichi hurries back to the counter. Asahi has already taken Kuroo's order and no new customers have entered the cafe since Kuroo so there isn't much of a rush, but since it is _Kuroo_ , Daichi wants to be there. He slips on his apron and puts on the Santa hat that he had made mandatory for the season, washing the dust and dirt off his hands quickly before he slides behind the counter and takes a cursory glance at Kuroo's order.

Kuroo always orders enough for two, for him and for his housemate, Kenma. On some days, he stays to enjoy his coffee and a muffin or pastry and to bother Daichi by the counter, and on other days, he takes away two portions with thanks and a parting smirk. Today, it looks like it is the latter and Daichi goes through the motions of preparing Kuroo's flat red and Kenma's latte, going with proportions he knows by heart. Kuroo likes giving him lots of feedback, on the drinks or the food or the decor, standing by the counter to chat with Daichi, so Daichi knows Kuroo's tastes by now.

When Daichi had started getting it exactly to Kuroo's liking, Kuroo moved on from commentary on the cafe to little anecdotes about his day that made Daichi chuckle. Sometimes Kuroo asked Daichi about the things he likes or does, leaning an elbow on the countertop until Daichi shooed him away, and before Daichi knew it, he had started looking forward to Kuroo's visits.

Daichi can feel Kuroo's gaze on him as he warms his pastries in the oven and the vampire is probably leaning on the countertop again as he watches Daichi, but this time, it feels different. Daichi can sense rapt intent in Kuroo's gaze, his eyes practically boring a hole through Daichi's back as Daichi bustles about, and it is distracting. It makes Daichi want to fluff up his feathers in embarrassment and hide in his wings just to get away from Kuroo's eyes. Whatever Suga did to the mistletoe, it is affecting Kuroo hard and Daichi just wants it to go away.

"Here you go." Daichi finally turns around after taking an unusually long time to put everything together and deposits the paper bags on the counter before Kuroo.

"Thanks, Sawamura," Kuroo says warmly, but he doesn't take the bags and leave just yet.

It is a slow night and there isn't much of a crowd so Kuroo will probably want to chat and Daichi will give him his attention because he likes talking to Kuroo. But today, with Kuroo under Suga's spell, the air between them is strange and awkward, buzzing with a nervous tinge of tension. Daichi still expects Kuroo to kiss him out of nowhere, because you never know with Suga's spells, and his gaze keeps flitting warily to Kuroo's lips and away.

"So Christmas and feasting, huh?" Kuroo grins at him. "I didn't take you for much of a Christmas person at first because I thought tengu were above those kinds of things."

"You're probably thinking about my ancestors," Daichi replies. "They didn't really do Christmas seeing that they lived in the mountains and all."

"And modern day tengu celebrate Christmas with a festive spirit that would make Santa proud." Kuroo sweeps his eyes over the cafe again, his gaze coming to rest on the floppy Santa hat perched on top of Daichi's head. "It's unexpected, but I think it suits you, Sawamura."

"Thanks," Daichi tells him, trying not to fidget with his hat self-consciously. "And what do vampires do for Christmas?"

"Well, Kenma spends it playing video games as usual, but I'm pretty much like you, Sawamura. I like to feast." Kuroo rests his chin on his hand, his back forming an elegant arch as he leans over the counter casually.

"Blood must taste better around this time of the year, seeing that it's when people indulge a bit more during the festivities," Daichi speculates.

"Oh, it does." Kuroo licks his lips expressively and Daichi has to look away before his face starts to steam again. There is _definitely_ something up with Kuroo today. "In fact, some chefs know exactly how to make the most delectable dishes using that blood. If you like, I could bring you to one of my favourite restaurants."

Coming from a vampire, that could either be a threat or an invitation for a date, and both options alarm Daichi. Something must show in Daichi's face as he fumbles for a reply because Kuroo hurries to add, "They have non-vampiric dishes for non-vampiric folk too and I heard that it's top-notch. Kai tells me that their Christmas dishes are especially in demand and seeing that you're a huge Christmas fan, I thought you might like to try them."

Daichi would like that, but even more than the food, the idea of going on a date with Kuroo makes his heart flutter wildly in his chest. He wants the opportunity to get to know the vampire better outside of the cafe. But he also knows that Kuroo is under that stupid spell that Suga had put on the mistletoe so what if Kuroo _isn't_ actually asking Daichi out of his own volition? What if he says yes now and after the spell wears off, Kuroo regrets asking Daichi out? Kuroo would probably still be nice enough to take Daichi out to the restaurant but Daichi doesn't want Kuroo to feel awkward about carrying out promises he made when he was compelled to.

"What's the name of the place?" Daichi asks, stalling for time as he tries to figure out what he should do. He throws a subtle glance over Kuroo's shoulder and it seems that Suga is done stripping the spell off the mistletoe because he is back at work. A pair of customers enter the cafe, passing under the mistletoe as they come through the front door, and neither of them seem to be acting strangely.

"'A Rare Occasion'. They normally specialise in steak and blood, but I'm pretty sure we'll see other items on the menu for Christmas. If you're interested, maybe we could do dinner tomorrow?" Kuroo asks hopefully.

He looks so eager, leaning in so far over the counter that if he tilts a bit more in Daichi's direction, Daichi worries that he might actually fall over to his side. The cash register rings and another customer enters the cafe so Daichi should really stop talking to Kuroo and get back to work before Asahi gets swamped with new orders.

"My shift ends at 1am tomorrow," Daichi finds himself saying in a rush, looking into Kuroo's eyes and seeing the hope in them bloom into something brighter as he perks up.

"I'll come pick you up from here then," Kuroo says eagerly, straightening up and narrowly avoiding toppling over the countertop. "That is, if you're okay with that?"

"Here's fine," Daichi's mouth says even though his mind is in a mess. Did he really just agree to this?

"That's a date then." Kuroo scoops up his paper bags, a smile playing across his lips as he looks at Daichi again. "Merry Christmas, Sawamura. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Merry Christmas," Daichi replies faintly as Kuroo strides off, with the slightest skip in his step as he leaves the cafe.

Daichi works through the next few orders in a daze, his hands moving on autopilot as he makes the drinks and hands them over to the waiting customers. During a lull in the crowd, a shoulder bumps into his and Daichi looks to his side, into Suga's expectant face, and everything comes rushing back to him at once.

"You have to take the spell off Kuroo," Daichi blurts out.

"I took the spell off the mistletoe," Suga tells him, with a heavy sigh that informs Daichi exactly what Suga thinks about that. "But I can't take a spell off a person who isn't here."

"Why didn't you stop Kuroo before he left?"

"Why didn't _you_ stop Kuroo before he left?" Suga counters with a sly smile. "From the sound of it, there was no way I could just barge in between the both of you and go ''scuse me, sir, you've been magicked so I need you to stop chatting up the cute barista and come with me now'."

"That's exactly what you should have done!" Daichi explodes. "Now, look at what you've done; I have a date with Kuroo tomorrow!"

Suga looks positively gleeful. "I definitely don't see what's the problem here."

Daichi groans. "But he was under a, what, compulsion spell? Was it a love spell? Suga, tell me it wasn't a love spell you put on my mistletoe."

"Don't worry your handsome little head about the intricacies of magic. I knew exactly what I was doing."

Daichi gives him the stink-eye. "And would you like to _share_ what you did to my mistletoe?"

"No," Suga answers and Daichi wonders if he were to throttle Suga, would it be considered as mistreating his employee or giving his best friend exactly what he deserves? Suga must sense the danger to his person because he holds his hands up in surrender, still grinning as he says, "Look, Daichi, just go on this date with Kuroo, have a good time, and if anything extreme happens, give me a call. But nothing should happen except that wonderful development between Kuroo and you. I can assure you that there was nothing dangerous about this spell."

"But you don't want to tell me exactly what you did to my mistletoe," Daichi says flatly, "and hence, Kuroo."

"Like I said, it's not that bad. Love spells aren't that straightforward to craft as mainstream media makes them out to be," Suga sniffs.

Daichi narrows his eyes at Suga. "I feel like you're just making this harder than it should be."

"Even if I am, you know I always have your best interests in mind." Suga grins.

"That's debatable," Daichi mutters at him.

"Believe it or not, it's the truth." Suga pats Daichi on the shoulder. "And as your best friend, I say that it is in your best interest to go on this date with Kuroo. After all, it's two of your favourite things in one place: a certain disaster-haired vampire and Christmas food."

\---

At 1am, Daichi clocks out and ignores the exaggerated wink Suga directs his way as he heads into the backroom. At 1:15am, Daichi has switched out his boring work clothes and apron for a neatly pressed button up shirt and slacks that Suga had insisted he wear for today. He even has cologne on, even though he was questioning himself the whole time as he dabbed it on his wrists and neck, peering into the mirror for the umpteenth time in fifteen minutes to check that his hair had not magically gotten messed up when he had looked away. He is nervous and he preens his feathers with clammy hands, tugging askew feathers straight and making sure that there was no stray bits of dirt among his glossy black wings.

At 1:17am, he finally musters up the courage to leave the backroom, giving everyone a cursory wave as he leaves the cafe—he most definitely does not look at Suga at all. It is a frosty night, with freshly fallen snow clogging up the sides of the streets and the sidewalks slippery with melted snow trampled under footsteps. Out of the dark, a familiar shape emerges as Daichi steps through the front door and Daichi finds himself looking up into Kuroo's face as the door swing shuts behind him.

"Hi," Kuroo says breathlessly, his cheeks pink with the cold and his amber eyes aglow as he runs his gaze over Daichi.

"Hi," Daichi says back to him, shoving his hands into his coat pockets, suddenly unsure about what to do with them.

"You look nice," Kuroo tells him, with a pointy-toothed smile. "I don't think I've ever seen you out of work before."

"I don't really have a sense of fashion. There's not much of a difference," Daichi tells him dazedly, distracted and suddenly feeling very underdressed next to Kuroo. He has never paid much attention to Kuroo's sense of fashion, but he likes the all-black aesthetic the vampire usually has going on, which makes his lean and lanky frame look even leaner and lankier.

Today, Kuroo is wearing all black again, a flattering turtleneck and long tapered pants covering him up from wrists to ankles, but he also has on a deep red overcoat that completes the entire ensemble, adding a layer of sleek sophistication to his usual style. His hair, usually ruffled and going every way, has been tamed to one side, the spikes toned down but not exactly laying flat, his fringe falling artfully over the right side of his face. He looks handsome, even more so than usual, out here in the streets, tall and silhouetted against the dark as he looks down at Daichi expectantly, and suddenly Daichi believes every cheesy vampire movie or novel he has ever encountered when they had waxed poetry about the charm of the tall, dark, and handsome vampire.

"Nonsense," Kuroo says as they start moving along, walking at a comfortable pace through the cold. "You look great. Besides, who needs fashion with stunning looks like yours?" He grins down at Daichi, halfway between teasing and genuine.

"Says the person with both," Daichi huffs out, still reeling from Kuroo's appearance. He is glad that they have started walking so that they are side by side and Daichi doesn't have to feel like his lungs are constricting every time he looks at Kuroo. Vampires totally had an unfair advantage in the looks department and Daichi doesn't know how he is going to last through the night looking at Kuroo across the table. Maybe Suga was wrong and this date was a bad idea after all.

Kuroo preens, a sly edge entering his grin. "You think I'm attractive, Sawamura?"

He does, objectively, subjectively, and in whichever way, and an internal debate wages within Daichi as he tries to decide if saying "yes" or "no" would be a better option. Definitely not "no" because that is a huge lie and Daichi might not have dated much but he is pretty sure that telling your date he is unattractive is on the list of Top Three Things Not to Do on the First Date.

But he feels like saying "yes" would go straight to Kuroo's head and as much as he likes Kuroo, he doesn't want to spend the whole night being teased about it. There is only so much Daichi can handle before his temper flares up and he doesn't want that to happen on this date.

"It depends," Daichi finally settles on an ambiguous answer, taking a leaf out of Kuroo's book and being deliberately frustrating.

"Oh?" Kuroo raises an eyebrow as he looks sidelong at Daichi. "On what?"

"How well this night goes," Daichi says lightly.

It must be the right answer because Kuroo's grin deepens into a familiar smirk and his shoulder brushes Daichi's as he inches the slightest bit closer to Daichi. "I think it's going pretty well already. I'm getting to see new sides of you I probably wouldn't have seen in the cafe."

They reach the restaurant after a few more minutes of walking and Daichi is pleasantly surprised to find that Kuroo had reserved a table in advance so that they didn't have to join the snaking queue in the cold. The ambience of the restaurant is cool and quiet, dimly lit to create an intimate atmosphere, but not so dim that Daichi can't see what the serving staff puts in front of him. Kuroo was right and their Christmas specials look amazing, carved roasted turkey topped with a delicious cranberry sauce for Daichi and thickened blood sauce for Kuroo. They share a plate of assorted hams and roast beef and Kuroo indulges Daichi when he sees him looking longingly at a leg of lamb on the neighbouring table.

It is the best meal Daichi has ever had and Kuroo's company only sweetens the night for him. Everything that he has ever admired about Kuroo is only confirmed and magnified as he talks to him between bites, and Daichi finds the blood rushing to his face every time he looks up from his plate and sees Kuroo gazing back at him, that same admiration reflected in his eyes. It is the best _date_ that Daichi has ever had and a bitter pang throbs in his chest as he remembers that it isn't real. Kuroo would not have asked him out if it was not for Suga's spell and he might not want to see Daichi again after the spell wears off.

"What's wrong, Sawamura?" Kuroo asks, his eyes concerned as he leans in. "Is the food not to your liking?"

Daichi swallows down the last scrap of lamb, which is delicious like every other morsel he had eaten in that night. "No, it's as amazing as you said. I can't believe I didn't know about this place."

"It's been around for centuries, but I guess it was more well-known among the vampiric crowd. They only started creating non-vampiric dishes recently and the Christmas specials are definitely something new," Kuroo tells him. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Sawamura." He hesitates, picking at a last bit of sauce on his plate with his fork, before admitting, "I've actually wanted to ask you out for a while so that I could bring you here. This is one of my favourite restaurants."

A dizzying blush spreads across Daichi's face at how honest and open Kuroo is being, his emotions showing so clearly on his face that it makes Daichi's heart ache. He is smiling again, his fangs peeking out over his bottom lip and his eyes awash with pure happiness as he looks at Daichi in the flickering dim of the restaurant.

When Kuroo had first entered his cafe, Daichi had thought that he would have been cold and standoffish, a haughty vampire through and through. He had looked the part, deadly handsome, a statuesque stunner clad in all black and untouchable. But that had all been assumptions on Daichi's part, formed solely based on how Kuroo had looked and carried himself, and the moment Kuroo had looked up at him across the counter and opened his mouth, everything he had assumed about Kuroo had come crashing down.

"I'm glad you asked me out. I've really enjoyed myself tonight," Daichi tells him, meeting honesty with honesty, quashing down the bitter pang in his chest. Everything he has said and felt in these past few hours with Kuroo, and in every little interaction he has had with Kuroo in the cafe, is real and even if the spell wears off, he knows that his feelings for Kuroo are true. He only hopes that Kuroo forgives him for knowing that he was under a love spell the whole time.

After they leave the restaurant, Kuroo insists on walking Daichi home and Daichi lets him, only because he wants to stay in Kuroo's company for a little while longer. It isn't dawn yet and they have an hour or two of night left before Kuroo has to go scurrying into the shadows for his own safety—he gets awful sunburns, Kuroo had lamented, and he didn't want Daichi to see him like that.

Daichi is pleasantly full, milk and sweetness lingering in his mouth from the dessert he had to finish off the splendid dinner. He had wondered out loud if he could remake it in his own kitchen and Kuroo had offered to taste it for him if he did. He hopes that offer still stands after tonight because Daichi is going to have to tell him about the mistletoe and the love spell sometime on their walk home. Despite all the good feelings he has had about this date and Kuroo, the guilt has been gnawing at him continuously throughout the night and Daichi feels like if he doesn't come clean about all of this, it isn't fair to Kuroo.

"Kuroo," Daichi starts, wondering how to go about with this. In the first place, it wasn't even him who had casted the spell that affected Kuroo. Suga should be the one apologising to Kuroo, but then again, Suga wasn't the one that Kuroo was compelled to ask out on a date and Suga wasn't the one who had kept the love spell a secret from him all throughout that date.

"Hmm?" Kuroo says, his fingers brushing Daichi's fleetingly as they walk, accidentally on purpose, and an electric shiver travels all the way up Daichi's arm from their point of contact. He is barely suppressing a smirk, his eyes wicked with mischief as he brushes Daichi's fingers again, his pinky finger hooking Daichi's on its way past.

Daichi's feathers start to fluff up in acute embarrassment, his train of thought continuously being derailed by Kuroo's flirtations, and Kuroo looks delighted, his mirth showing through as he looks at Daichi's wings with obvious interest. Knowing Kuroo, he is going to keep doing this all the way to Daichi's home and then Daichi will get nothing out in the open because he was too busy being flustered by Kuroo's teasing.

So the next time Kuroo brushes his fingers against Daichi's, Daichi grabs his hand to keep him still, wrapping his fingers around Kuroo's long, elegant fingers. It works and Kuroo doesn't even try to fight his grip, slackening his hand and folding his fingers over Daichi's, their palms fitting together between them as they walk. It is kinda nice, more than nice, and it is a moment that Daichi wishes would last forever, but they only have so much time before the sun rises and they reach Daichi's home and Daichi loses the chance to come clean to Kuroo.

"Listen, Kuroo," Daichi tells him haltingly, his emotions warring with each other within his head and heart, "I have to tell you something."

"I'm listening." Kuroo bumps Daichi's shoulder companionably, his fingers squeezing Daichi's.

Daichi bites his lip, not wanting to drag this out longer than it should, and decides to just go for it bluntly, "You're actually under a love spell."

Kuroo stops in his tracks, but he doesn't let go of Daichi's hand, bewilderment filling his face as he says slowly, "Ooookay, that isn't what I thought you would say. What do you mean I'm under a love spell?"

"Do you remember yesterday when you came in and found Suga and me in front of the door?" Daichi says hesitantly, feeling wretched. His hand is getting clammy in Kuroo's and he feels the weight of everything he ate for dinner sitting heavily in his stomach like a stone.

Kuroo nods.

"Suga put a love spell on the mistletoe above the door. I don't know what kind it is, but it was probably designed to affect the people who passed under it because of that dumb Christmas tradition and I was telling him to remove it but then you walked in. I was probably the first person you saw after that."

Kuroo nods again. "I distinctively remember being slapped in the face with a pair of gorgeous wings and only you have wings like that around here."

"I'm sorry," Daichi says miserably. "And I'm sorry for going on this date with you when you were only probably doing it because of the spell."

Kuroo goes silent, but he still doesn't let go of Daichi's hand, his face more contemplative than angry as he thinks through what Daichi just said to him. Finally, he asks, "You said this happened yesterday? And I've been under the spell ever since?"

"Probably. I asked Suga to take it off you before you left yesterday but you, um, left before he could," Daichi says lamely.

"Then I'm not under a love spell."

"Yes, you are," Daichi tells him firmly. "I saw Suga cast a spell on the mistletoe and I saw you walk under it."

Kuroo tugs on Daichi's hand as he insists, "I'm not. I know what I feel for you and it isn't because of a spell."

"You didn't even know about it until I told you about it. How are you so sure that what you feel for me isn't because of the spell?" Daichi argues.

Kuroo squeezes Daichi's hand and takes a step forward into Daichi's space, looming tall and dark over Daichi as he forces Daichi to look up at him. But there isn't anything but softness in his eyes as he gazes down at Daichi, his tone gentle as he says, "I know it because I've liked you for a long time. Not just since yesterday. Sawamura, I've been planning to ask you out for _ages_. You have no idea how happy I am that you agreed to go on a date with me."

A shiver runs up Daichi's spine, tingling with nervous thrill at Kuroo's words, and his feathers fluff up again involuntarily behind him, putting an amused quirk at the corner of Kuroo's lips. If what Kuroo is saying is true—and Daichi so badly wants it be true—and he is doing this out of his own volition and not because of the spell he is under, Daichi wants to tell him that he feels the same way too, and that he has been harbouring a steadily growing crush on him that steals his breath away and makes his heart beat funny whenever Kuroo talks to him. He can't think straight around Kuroo and it is a wonder that Daichi has managed to get anything done in Kuroo's presence, especially when he starts directing that pointy-toothed smile Daichi's way.

He is doing it now and it flusters Daichi because there is no way that Kuroo isn't under a love spell when he is looking so fondly at Daichi that it makes Daichi burst into embarrassed heat. He _has_ to be because there is no creature in existence that could be this much of a romantic sap and still be completely and genuinely honest about it.

"I'm taking you to Suga," Daichi decides immediately before he combusts on the spot.

Kuroo looks taken aback. "What, now?"

"Yes, now." Daichi takes another step forward and Kuroo looks delighted about their close proximity until he realises that Daichi isn't stopping, his eyes clouding over with confusion as Daichi eases his arms under Kuroo's back and legs, unfurling his wings with a snap and flapping them strongly behind him.

Kuroo clutches at Daichi's shoulders as they take off from the streets, looking wildly around him as he tries to come to terms with the fact that his date has literally swept him off his feet and taken to the skies with him. Daichi needs to get high up enough so that he isn't bumping into buildings wherever he turns so he keeps rising higher and higher, the wind whipping at Kuroo's hair as he climbs into the night sky.

"Sawamura, is this really entirely necessary?" Kuroo asks, raising his voice to be heard above the wind. He has finally stopped wriggling, his arms thrown loosely around Daichi's shoulders and his face tucked snugly in the crook of Daichi's neck to hide from the wind. For someone who had been panicking during the takeoff, he looks remarkably comfortable in Daichi's arms.

"I just... I need to know," Daichi tells him, looking down at the maze of streets under him and mentally mapping the way to Suga's apartment.

As Daichi starts heading in the direction of Suga's apartment, Kuroo leans his head against Daichi's shoulder and says, "You do know that I can fly too though? I can turn into a really adorable bat."

"If you prefer to fly by yourself, I could drop you right now," Daichi offers. "I'll even wait for you to catch up."

Kuroo clings onto him instinctively, his hair tickling the underside of Daichi's jaw, and when Daichi chances a look at him, the vampire smirks up at him, adjusting his grip around Daichi's shoulders as he declines, "No thank you. I think this is a far better way to fly."

They fall silent as they soar over town, nothing but the whistling wind and the beating of Daichi's wings filling the silence between them. Daichi likes flying, likes being able to stretch his wings in the air instead of having to keep them carefully folded against his back when he is on the ground and around people. Night time is the best for flying when the air is cool and the only bright lights are but pinpricks and patterns beneath him. He has taken people on flights with him before, friends and family when they needed to get somewhere fast or just for a joyride, but he has never foreseen a day when he would be up here in the night sky with Kuroo in his arms.

It is perfectly romantic for a first date, if this is a really a date that the both of them had gone into knowingly, and Daichi hopes that everything Kuroo had said to him was real and not just a by-product of the love spell. It would really suck if he was the only one still in love after the spell was gone.

Daichi recognises the tangle of streets they are approaching and he drops his altitude, slowing his wings down for a smooth descent. Kuroo shifts in his arms, watching the ground grow closer as they fall from height, and Daichi tries not to notice when Kuroo turns those amber eyes on him, gazing at Daichi intently as if trying to memorise every inch of his face.

"Even if Suga takes the spell off me, my memories of tonight won't go away, will they?" Kuroo murmurs, his arms still looped around Daichi's neck, his eyes fixed on Daichi. "I don't want to forget any of this."

"I don't think they will," Daichi says resolutely and hopes that it is true. He isn't sure. Suga had been right and Daichi doesn't understand the intricacies of his magic.

Daichi lands lightly on the pavement before Suga's apartment and he eases Kuroo down, the vampire stretching as he stands on his own two feet again. As Daichi reaches out to ring the doorbell, a hand catches his, and Daichi looks back to see Kuroo holding on to him, his fingers folding over Daichi's just like how they were before.

"Just picking up where we left off," Kuroo tells him with a smile and he steps forward to wait beside Daichi as he rings the doorbell.

It takes a few more pushes of the doorbell and Kuroo suggesting that maybe he should give Suga a call before the door finally creaks open and an irate head of silver pops out to squint at them.

"Congratulations, the both of you are cute together, but couldn't you have shown me this another day?" Suga yawns, taking in their joined hands through bleary eyes. "I have to work tomorrow. My boss is a demon."

Kuroo snickers quietly beside Daichi and Daichi bumps him hard with a shoulder before he turns back to the more urgent matter at hand. "Suga, you have to take the spell off Kuroo."

Suga looks a little more awake at the mention of his spell and he looks between Daichi and Kuroo. "You told him about that?"

"He won't believe that I'm in love with him until you take the spell off, apparently," Kuroo informs him. "As much as I appreciate a good prank, this is kind of frustrating."

"I take that back about the both of you being cute; the both of you are the worst," Suga groans, pulling his door open. "Just get in here."

Once inside, Suga settles Kuroo on the sofa and pulls up a chair to sit facing him, leaving Daichi to hover beside the both of them. He squints into Kuroo's eyes, as if trying to remember what exactly the spell was, and Kuroo sits ramrod straight, trying not to blink.

"What on earth did you even do to him?" Daichi paces the narrow stretch of space beside them, keeping his wings folded in tight behind him so that they don't accidentally interfere with Suga's examination of Kuroo. "You wouldn't tell me what kind of love spell it was you cast on my mistletoe and then Kuroo walks under it and suddenly I have a date with him and _then_ he tells me that he's liked me for a long time..." he trails off with an angry blush, suddenly realising that he had probably blurted out too much in front of Suga.

He doesn't like the grin on Suga's face as he turns his attention from Kuroo to Daichi. "I should be asking you that. What on earth did you do to Kuroo to make him fall for you so deeply? I never put a love spell on the mistletoe."

Daichi halts in his tracks to stare incredulously at Suga. "What? But I saw you do _something_ to it."

"I never said it was a love spell," Suga says, still grinning. "I don't know how you came to that conclusion. I cast a good luck charm on the mistletoe, y'know, because heavens know how many people out there need the luck for the holiday season. Maybe it helps with smoothening out dates, making sure the weather is great and no untoward accidents happen, etcetera, but good luck charms can't cause people to fall head over heels for cute winged baristas. It was all you, Daichi."

Daichi glances at Kuroo, his face burning, and Kuroo looks relieved, slumping down into the sofa cushions. There is a triumphant edge to his smile as he looks up at Daichi and says, "I told you, Sawamura, I know exactly what I feel for you."

"And with that, my job is done," Suga announces, pushing back his chair and standing up. "You're going to have good luck for a couple more days and then it'll wear off, Kuroo. You shouldn't even notice anything different—unless you're naturally predisposed to bad luck. Let yourself out once you're done. I've to get some sleep or my boss will kill me if I'm late tomorrow."

"How about I do it now anyway," Daichi mutters under his breath as Suga heads back to his room, leaving Daichi alone in the living room with Kuroo.

"Don't. I still need that good luck for a while longer," Kuroo tells him, beckoning Daichi over. "Come over here, Sawamura."

Navigating the narrow space in Suga's living room carefully, Daichi plops himself down in the chair Suga vacated, facing Kuroo. He is nervous all over again, his feathers sticking out at all angles after his flight here, and he takes a deep breath to fortify himself before he peers up at Kuroo.

Kuroo is gazing at him, of course he is, and he reaches out to take Daichi's hand, moving slowly, cautiously, waiting for Daichi to react. Daichi lets him and Kuroo cradles Daichi's hand in both of his, easily engulfing Daichi's hand as he wraps his fingers around him. There is glint of humour in his eyes as he looks at Daichi, along with all the love and fondness that has been there from the very start, and Daichi doesn't know how he could have been so _blind_.

"You're stubborn, aren't you? And ridiculously honest," Kuroo tells him, fiddling with Daichi's hand like a cat with a ball of yarn. "You wouldn't believe it when I said I liked you because you thought I was under a spell the whole time."

"It wouldn't be right," Daichi defends himself, his wings fluffing up around him. "I felt like I was taking advantage of you."

Kuroo leans in, his lips brushing Daichi's ear as he whispers, "You couldn't have done that if I was perfectly willing the whole time." When he pulls back, the look in his eyes is downright wicked and Daichi shivers, his feathers quivering, his heart giving way and dissolving into a puddle of goo in his chest. "Did you enjoy your date with me, Sawamura?"

It was probably the best night of Daichi's life and now that he has dug himself into this situation, pinned in place by Kuroo's gaze alone, he feels like he has to be honest. "I had a really good time tonight."

Kuroo smiles. "That's all I ever wanted to hear. So, since you had a good time and I had a great time, would you like to go on another date with me then?"

\---

He is leaving early tonight and he checks himself in the mirror one last time before he exits the backroom. Christmas carols play softly in the background of the cafe and the warm scent of cinnamon and gingerbread fills the air as Asahi mixes a drink behind the counter. Daichi waves at Asahi and Suga as he passes them, resolutely ignoring the wink that Suga lobs in his direction again, and when he reaches the front door, the bells on the door ring as someone pushes it open.

A dark figure stands in the doorway of the cafe, a familiar shadow and smirk as Kuroo lays appreciative eyes on Daichi. Then he glances upwards pointedly at the sprig of mistletoe hanging above the front door.

"Oh? Look what we're under," Kuroo notes, feigning surprise dramatically, his arm already finding its way around Daichi's waist.

"It's a dumb tradition." Daichi rolls his eyes but he doesn't resist, letting Kuroo pull him close and tilting his face up obligingly, his wings fluttering in anticipation behind him.

Kuroo kisses him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Find me here: [tumblr](http://kythen.tumblr.com) / [twitter](http://twitter.com/catcrowcalls)


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